Canon 1Ds MIIvs Canon 1Ds MIII

In this review, we will be comparing 1Ds MII and 1Ds MIII, two Pro DSLR cameras by Canon. Canon 1Ds MII was introduced to market in October 2005 and Canon 1Ds MIII was launched in August 2008. As you can see, 1Ds MII is 3 years older than 1Ds MIII. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Canon 1Ds MII has a 17.0 MP and Canon 1Ds MIII has a 21.0 MP resolution.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs.
In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII.

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII.

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.
Canon 1Ds MIII is 180g lighter than the Canon 1Ds MII but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1Ds MII

1Ds MIII

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1Ds MII

1Ds MIII

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both 1Ds MII and 1Ds MIII have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Canon 1Ds MII has 26% larger pixel area compared to Canon 1Ds MIII, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that 1Ds MIII has a better overall score of 80, 6 points higher compared to 1Ds MII's score of 74.

What types of Photography are Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII have the same Canon EF lens mount so have 271 native lenses available. But be careful that only 242 of these lenses can cover the full frame sensors of these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 65 lenses with Image stabilization for Canon EF mount.

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII, below you can find their scores in five different aspects.
Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII scores compare:

Canon 1Ds MII

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #5 out of 19 in Large SLR" camerasRanked #450 out of 1185 in all Cameras

Canon 1Ds MIII

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #4 out of 19 in Large SLR" camerasRanked #303 out of 1185 in all Cameras

Canon 1Ds MIII is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 1Ds MII in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money